Stamper press with gripping fingers



v. E. COTTRELL EI'AL 2,724,530

STAMPER PRESS WITH GRIPPING FINGERS Nov. 22, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 2, 1955 INVENTORS. VINCENT E. COTTRELL BY SIMON DERINGERi @Wl- 4 n ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 22, 1955 v. E. COTTRELL ETAL 2,724,530

STAMPER PRESS WITH GRIPPING FINGERS Filed May 2, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. VINCENT E. COTTRELL SIMON DERINGER A T TOR/VEYS.

Nov. 22, 1955 v. E. COTTRELL ETAL 2,724,530

STAMPER PRESS WITH GRIPPING FINGERS Filed May 2, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS. VINCENT E. COTTRELL BY SIMON DERINGER WWW A TTOR/VEYS.

Nov. 22, 1955 v. E. COTTRELL ETAL 2,724,530

STAMPER PRESS WITH GRIPPING FINGERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 2, 1955 INVENTORS. VINCENT E. COTTRELL SIMON DERINGER BY ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 22, 1955 v. E. COTTRELL ETAL 2,724,530

STAMPER PRESS WITH GRIPPING FINGERS Filed May 2, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 j ylfl. INVENTORJ.

VINCENT E. COTTRELL BY SIMON DERINGER ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Ofiiice 2,724,530 Patented Nov. 22, 1955 1 2,724,530 STAR [PER PRESS WITH GRIPPING FIYGERS Vincent E. Cottrell and Simon Deringer, Philadelphia,

Pa assignors to Easy Way Stamper Machine Company, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 2, 1955, Serial No. 565,220 6 Claims. (Cl. 223-12 present application is a continuation-in-part of our pending application hereinabove specified.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an attachment to a stamper press having fingers operable togrip one edge of hat material which is draped over the stationary mold prior and up to the time that the complementary movable mold is moved into engagement with the material. This entirely eliminates the need for one of the two operators presently usedto hold the hat material in a stretched condition in the conventional stamper presses.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a material-gripping attachment for a stamper press which can be actuated to selectively grip and release the material independently of the means required to move the shaping molds into engagement with. each other.

Afurther importantobject of this invention is to provide a material-gripping attachment of the character described which is equipped with easily operable means to move and adjust the gripping members vertically, horizontally and towards and away from each other to accommodate hat material draped over molds of a wide variety of sizes and shapes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ma terial-gripping attachment of the character described which is effective for use on modern multi-ply hat materials.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which can be simply, efficiently, and effectively operated by a valved pneumatic actuating means. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a material-gripping attachment of the character described which can be readily and easily assembled upon a stamper press andcan be readily and easily removed therefrom for replacement and repair of parts.

And yet another object of the invention is to provide a material-gripping attachment which can be installed upon a bank of stamper presses which can be readily and easily operated in a timed sequenceby a single operator, thus effecting important savings in time and labor.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device shown attached to a pneumatically operated stamper press;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevational view of the device with parts broken away to show details of construction;

Figure 3 is a view looking from the plane and in the direction of the arrows of the line 3-3 of FigureZ;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is an enlarged elevational view of one of the gripping members shown in the open position with parts broken away to illustrate details of construction;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the placement of the hat material on the mold and the gripping member in position to engage one edge of the material; and

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 and illustrating the manner in which the gripping member engages the hat material.

Specific reference is now made to the drawings wherein similar reference characters are used for corresponding elements throughout.

While the drawings illustrate the present device in association with a pneumatically operated stamper press as disclosed in our co-pending application Serial No. 411,165, it will be understood that the device can be used on any stamper press which employs a female mold movable to engage material draped over a male mold. The most eificient use of the device is in association with a pneumatically operated stamper press.

The stamper press is generally indicated at 10 and the present material-gripping attachment at 12. The press comprises any suitable support 14, preferably in the form of a table to the top of which is removably secured as at 16 a male mold 18 of desired size and contour and over which the hat material 20 is adapted to be draped. A complementary female mold 22 is supported above the male mold and is movable into and out of engagement with the hat material 20 on the stationary mold 18. Both molds are equipped with conventional heating means required in the molding of the hat material.

While mechanical means may be used to raise and lower the mold 22, pneumatic means is: more eflicient. In the latter case, a pair of uprights 24 are secured on the support 14 upon which is slidably mounted a cross bar 26, the latter being equipped with terminal collars 28 and set screws 30 to adjust the position of the cross,

bar. Mounted on the cross bar is a cylinder 32 in which a piston rod (not shown) is slidable, the latter being operatively connected to the movable mold 22. The upper and lower portions of the cylinder 32 are communicated to conduits 34 and 36 that are in turn op eratively connected to a trippable (preferably foot operated) 4-way treadle valve 38, the latter being connected to an air compressor 40 by means of a suitable conduit 42. Movement of the treadle valve 38 in one position or in another will selectively admit air under pressure to the top of the cylinder 32 through the conduit 34, or exhaust air from the bottom of the cylinder through the conduit 36, thereby lowering and raising the mold 22. As will appear hereinafter, the movement of the mold 22 is independent and separate from the operation of the gripping members of the present device 12.

Coming to the device 12 itself, the same comprises a transverse rod or tube 44 carrying substantially F-shaped clamps 46, the arms of which engage the rear edge of the table or support 14 there to be secured by appropriate right rods 50 and 52. Slidable on the rods are tubes 54 grip one edge of material to be draped over said stationary mold, means to open and close said fingers operable independently of said complementary mold lowering and raising means, a frame mounted on said support, means to adjustably raise and lower said frame, means mounting said fingers on said frame for adjustable positioning towards and away from each other, and means to adjustably move said fingers in unison towards and away from said stationary mold.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said support includes upstanding rods, said frame includes a crossmember and terminal tubes slidably embracing said rods and said means to adjustably raise and lower said frame includes a turn-screw journaled in said support and secured to said cross-member.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein each of said fingers includes spring-urged pivotaliy interconnected jaw members, said frame includes a bar, and said means mounting said fingers on said frame for adjustable positioning towards and away from each other includes spaced longitudinal slots in said bar, a groove in one of said jaw members slidably receiving said bar, a pin depending from said one of said jaw members and extending through one of said slots, spring means associated with said pin and acting to urge said one of said jaw members against said bar, and a set screw carried by said one of said jaw members and adapted to bear against said bar.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said frame includes a pair of side members interconnected by a crossmember and said means to adjustably move said fingers in unison towards and away from said stationary mold includes a bar carrying said fingers and slidably engaged at its ends in said side members, and a turn-screw journaled in said cross-member and secured at one of its ends to said bar.

5. In a stamper press including a support, a stationary mold mounted thereon, and a complementary mold mounted over said stationary mold for movement into and out of engagement therewith; fingers adapted to grip one edge of material to be draped over said stationary mold, means to open and close said fingers independently of the movement of said complementary mold, a frame carrying said fingers and mounted on said support, means operative on said frame to adjustably move the same vertically on said support, and means to adjustably move said fingers towards and away from each other.

6. In a stamper press including a support, a stationary mold mounted thereon, and a complementary mold mounted over said stationary mold for movement into and out of engagement therewith; fingers adapted to grip one edge of material to be draped over said stationary mold, means to open and close said fingers independently of the movement of said complementary mold, a frame carrying said fingers and mounted on said support, means to adjustably move said fingers towards and away from each other and means operative on said fingers to adjustably move them in unison towards and away from said stationary mold.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,586,092 Leick May 25, 1926 

